Sprinkler-head.



E. M. CHANDLER.

SPRINKLER HEAD. APPLICATION min MAR. 9, I917.

' Patented Dec; 18, 1917.

UNITED was PATNT omen ELMO M. CHANDLER; OF SOUTH NORFOLK, VIRGIN IA, ASSIGNOR, BY Il IESNE ASSIGN MENTS, TO AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY OF CANADA, LIMITED, OF TORONTQ,

ONTARIO, CANADA.

' SPRINKLER-HEAD.

Specification of Letters Eatent. Patented Dec, 18, 1917,

Application filed March 9, 1917. Serial No. 153,760.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMO M. CHANDLER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of South Norfollqin the State of Virginia and United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sprinkler-Heads, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in sprinkler heads, and the object is to provide a sprinkler head which may be easily and cheaply manufactured, and will consist; of a small number of parts.

A further object is to provide a sprinkler head having the strut thereof 50 arranged that the fusible metal holding the same in operative position is subjected to the minimum of stress, and therefore is not liable to perislror yield under stress at temperatures lower than that for which it is designed.

A still further objectis to provide means for obtaining a substantial bond between the strut parts by means of the fusible metal.

Another object is to provide a strut so constructed that the fusible metal is relieved as far as possible of all stress arising from accidental blows or pressure.

A large number of sprinkler heads have been produced in the past which, however, have the-disadvantage that the fusiblematerial holding the strut in operative position is subject to such great stress that the metal perishes in a comparatively short time, or if it does not perish, flows under the stress at temperatures lower than that at which the head is designed to blow, thus causing a loosening and leakage at the valve. It has also been found difficult to obtain a good bond between the strut parts by means of the fusible metal.

According to this invention, the strut is composed of three members, two of which are pivotally connected out of the. line of thrust, and a third. or key, mounted in one of the first members and exerting considerable leveragc over the other to hold them in predetermined position despite. thrust. Parts ofthe members are in si'lperposed relation, and they may be provided with flanges to embrace and hold the superposed member against displacement by accidental blows or pressure.

Thekeymember has an apertured lip, through and around -WlllCl1 the fusible material extends, thus securing a. very good hold.

In the drawings which illustrate the inventions Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sprinkler, according to this invention.

Fig. 2 1s a sectlonal v1ew on the line 2-2, Fi

Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the strut members separated.

Referring moreparticularly'to the draw I ings, 11 designates a body having a threaded neck 12 adapted to screw into the pipe system, and aseat 13 for the reception of a valve 1 1, which with the which carries a deflector 18 in the usual manner, and a strut holding screw 19, which when. finally inserted is retained by the pin 20. Y i The strut consists of three members 21, '22

and 23, and the fusible-holding material-1,1

designated Zl. The member 21, which for descriptive purposes may be called the post, is provided at one end with a recess 25, which the raised ccnte of the valve rests, and with a hook 226. he opposite end 27 of the post extends nearly tothe point of the. holding screw 19, and the post itself liesgasket. 15 normally closes the passage 16 through the-body and neck, The, body is plOVlClGtlWll'h H yoke out of the common axial line running through the center of the valve and holding screw, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The lever member 22 is provided at one end with a recess 28 to receive the point of the holdiug screw, and with a further recess 29 to receive the point-of the post, which latter is reduced .in width so as to enter the recess, as

clearly shown in Fig. 3. The arm 30 of the lever member lies against the post in a recess 31, which'is formed by side flanges 32 on.-

the post, and a transverse step 33 adjacent the hook 26. It will be clearly seen from point, it is obvious that the free extremity 35 of the key will have considerable leverage over the endof the lever. extremity of-thc key is provided with an aperture 36, and is in addition turned'outwardly or away from the lever. The key may be held against displacement inan This free ber in .the other as described, and also the holding flanges, that the device may be constructed'without these, and will operate as satisfactorily, except that it will not be as thoroughly proof against accident.

- In manufacture of the sprinkler heads,

the three members of the strut are assembled and secured by means of the fusible metal 24, which extends over and through the end of the key, and is retained by the key end in sufiicient body to have the desired strength and bonding effect. The strut is now inserted-in the yoke, one end being seated on the valve and the other engaged by the pin 19, which is screwed down sufliciently tight to hold the valve on its seat against the pressure which the head is designed to withstand. The head of the screw beyond the yoke is cut off and burred over" in the usual manner, and the screw further secured by the pin 20. It will be seen in Fig. 2 that the strut is in effect jointed .at the end of the post, which joint is out of line with the points of support at the ends of the strut, so that the pressure of water on the valve has a constant tendency to fold up the strut on its joint. This is resisted by the leverage of the key and theleverage in the long arm 30 of the lever, as will be readily seen.

When thehead is subjected to the temperature at which it is designed to blow 01f, the metal 24 fuses and releases the key, which in turn releases the lever arm 30, and permits the strut to fold up under the fluid pressure on the valve 14.

By setting the end of the post into the lever and the end of the key into the post, and also by having the key and lever arm embraced by flanges, as previously described, the parts are mechanically held against separation by accident.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a sprinkler head, a body, a yoke, a valve, a strut held in compression between the yoke and valve, said strut comprising a pair of members hingeably connected out of line with their points of support on the yoke and valve, a key engaging at one end in one member and overlapping the other member and holding the members in joperative position, said key having its free end apertured and directed away from the strut, and a mass of fusible material extending over said outturned key end and through the aperture thereof and securing the key to the strut members.

2. In a sprinkler head, a body, a yoke, a valve, a jointed collapsible strut held in compression between the yoke and valve, a key holding the strut against collapse, a mass of readily fusible material holding the key, and flanges on the strut members holding the members and key against accidental separation and relieving the fusible material of stress due to accidental blows or pressure. 7

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ELMO M. CHANDLER. 

